Norman Osborn (Earth-616)
__TOC__ Real Name: Norman Osborn Nicknames: None known Former Aliases: None known Other Current Aliases: None known Status Occupation: Professional criminal, owner of Osborn Industries Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with no criminal record Identity: Secret Marital Status: Widower Group Affiliation: Former partner of Mendell Stromm, Crime Master, employer of the Enforcers Base of Operations: New York City, New York Origin Injecting himself with a chemical formula to increase strength and intelligence, Osborn becomes the Green Goblin as well as criminally insane. Place of Birth: Hartford, Connecticut Known Relatives: Harry Osborn (aka Green Goblin, son, deceased), Liz Allan (daughter-in-Law), Norman "Normie" Osborn (grandson), Mark Raxton (aka Molten Man, son-in-law]] First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #14, (July, 1964) History As the brilliant co-owner of a chemical manufacturer known as Oscorp, Norman Osborn, loving wealth and power, decided to take control and had his partner Professor Mendel Stromm arrested when he found he was commiting embezzlement, making Norman the official CEO of Oscorp. Using Stromm's notes, he created the serum that would make him superhumanly powerful. However, his son, Harry, who was tired of always being ignored and rejected by his father, switched the chemicals in the serum, which turned it green and caused it to explode in face. Later, at the hospital, Norman Osborn found himself thinking clearly than ever before, not knowing that he would slowly become insane. Attempting to achieve power beyond his wildest dreams, Norman Osborn attempted to gain control over all of New York's crime. To prove his power, he decided to choose Spider-man as his victim of choice, and sent two criminals, the Headsman and Scorcher, after Spider-man. The two were soundly defeated, and Norman Osborn decided to take matters into his own hands. Remembering a giant green goblin monster from childhood nightmares, he created a costume that reflected that monster, and he became the Green Goblin. He first battled Spider-Man with the help of The Enforcers, by getting Spider-man to participate in a movie about him. Attempting to defeat him in New Mexico, he let Spider-man battle the Hulk, whose stomping grounds the Goblin, the Enforcers, and Spider-man accidently came upon. Escaping the Hulk, Spider-man attempted to capture the Green Goblin, but was too exhausted to prevent his escape. Returning to New York, the Green Goblin easily hid amongst New York's population. Spider-man and the Green Goblin would fight a few monthes later at a fan club meeting for Spider-man. However, when Spider-man heard that his Aunt May was extremely ill, he was forced to retreat, giving him a sour reputation by most of New York's citizens, including several superheroes, supervillains, citizens, and, of course, J. Jonah Jameson, and giving the Green Goblin an impressive reputation. Later still, the Green Goblin would pretend to be helping the police by attempting to capture Lucky Louis, a big gang leader, and, after seeing defeat by Spider-man, attempted a partnership with the Crimemaster, which again ended in defeat. One of the biggest success in the Green Goblin's career was learning Spider-man's secret identity, by utilizing a false gang that sprayed Spider-man with a gas that nullified his spider-sense, allowing the Goblin to follow him without being detected. Capturing Spider-man with ease, he brought him to his hideout and revealed himself to be Norman Osborn, the father of Harry Osborn, one of Peter Parker's classmates. After gloating and revealing his past, he let Spider-man escape his bindings, so as to prove his superiority. Spider-man managed to defeat the Goblin by sending him into a bunch of disconnected, high-voltage wires that were drenched in chemicals. Gaining amnesia, Norman Osborn lost all memory up to the years that his son was in high school. Spider-man, content in this knowledge, burned the Green Goblin's costume, hoping never to see him again. However, memories eventually returned, and the Green Goblin attempted to overcome Norman and defeat Spider-man once more, this time with a bomb that was filled with a gas that nullified his wall-clinging ability. Spider-man defeated him this time by landing on his back and luring him to the hospital room of Norman's son, who was extremely ill from drug abuse. Snapped back to reality, Norman returned to normal. Somehow, though, by as-of-yet unknown means, Norman regained his memories. He killed Gwen Stacy after kidnapping her and throwing her off a bridge, after which Spider-man attempted to save her with a webline, but she was already dead before he caught her. Spider-man attempted to save her but she had already died during the fall. Filled with rage, Spider-man savagely attacked the Goblin, nearly killing him. He returned to his senses at the last minute, however and the Goblin took the opportunity to attempt one final play by remote controlling his goblin glider to impale the wall crawler. Spider-man was able to dodge the glider which instead impaled the Goblin, seemingly killing him. The nightmare was over...or at least that's what Peter thought. Harry Osborn, Norman's son, had witnessed the final defeat of his father at the hands of Spider-man and removed his costume before the authorities could arrive, thus preserving his secret identity. He even bribed the coroner so that further autopsies would show no trace of the "goblin" formula in Norman's blood. And for many years, the world believed Norman Osborn to be dead. After the apparent death of the Green Goblin, many tried to follow in his footsteps, including his son Harry, Harry's therapist Bart Hamilton, Phil Urich, and millionaire Roderick Kingsley who attempted to create his own variation and legacy on the goblin motif as the murderous Hobgoblin. Each subsequent version of the goblin was defeated and Harry eventually died as a result of exposure to an untested experimental version of the formula that had given his father his abilities. Little did anyone know that Norman Osborn was in fact alive and well and putting a master plan into place that he hoped would ruin Spider-Man forever. The same formula that had given Osborn his heightened strength and intellect also gave him powerful regenerative abilities, allowing him to survive the impalement by his goblin glider. He had escaped the morgue, replacing his body with that of a drifter he had murdered (and impaled through the chest) and fled to Europe. There he joined the Cabal of Scriers, eventually moving up in their ranks and completely taking them over. After the death of his son Harry, whom Norman believed would prove himself in his absence, Osborn accelerated a series of plans he had formulated over the past several years. From the shadows, Osborn manipulated Empire State University professor Miles Warren as part of a grand scheme to have Parker believe he was in fact a clone and that Ben Reilly (the real clone) was the real Peter Parker. However, with Peter's wife Mary Jane pregnant and the possibility of a life without Spider-Man on the horizon, Peter freely relinguished his alter-ego to Reilly. Unsatisfied with these results, Osborn returned as the Green Goblin revealing himself as the mastermind behind the entire fiasco and killed Ben Reilly who sacrificed himself to save Peter. Reilly's body disintergrated, proving that Peter was in fact the real Spider-Man all along. In addition, Osborn had an employee of his, Alison Mongrain poison Mary Jane into an induced premature labor, kidnapping the child. Osborn's next grand scheme was to make Spider-man his heir, first drugging him into wearing the Goblin costume and attacking his friends. After days of physical and mental torture at the Osborn Estate, Peter nearly gave in, but refused at the last minute. Next, the Goblin used a drunken Flash Thompson to drive a truck into Midtown High School, where Peter had taken a job as a teacher. The accident caused Flash brain damage, and spurred Peter into a final battle with his old enemy. Although, it seemed that in some strange way Norman wanted Peter to finish him off, Peter refused saying he did not want to fight him anymore and declared a truce. Sometime later, Norman Osborn was finally revealved to the public as the Green Goblin and after an climatic battle with Spider-Man and Luke Cage that raged across Manhattan, he was finally imprisoned. However, things were far from over. From behind bars, Osborn once again masterminded a plan against Spider-Man. This time he had Mac Gargan, also known as the Scorpion, kidnap Peter's Aunt May. The plan was for Spider-man to break Osborn out of prison in exchange for his Aunt's life. Peter reluctantly agreed and with the help of the Black Cat proceeded to break Osborn out...only to have twelve of his greatest enemies waiting for him on the outside. Osborn had assembled a Sinister Twelve, which included Mac Gargan newly bonded with the Venom symbiote. However, Mary Jane had contacted SHIELD and the villians were faced with the combined might of Captain America, Iron Man, Yellowjacket, Daredevil and the Fantastic Four. During the fracas, the Goblin had escaped to kidnap Mary Jane and took her to the George Washington Bridge in order to replay his murder of Gwen Stacy...a final act of vengeance against Spider-man. However, a drugged Doctor Octopus intervened, attacking the Goblin. Spider-Man was able to save Mary Jane after a bolt of lightning sent the two villians into the river. Following some verbal clues from the Goblin, Peter was also able to discover where he had hidden Aunt May and rescued her as well. Peter then recieved a letter mailed by Osborn before the fight, thanking Peter for giving his life meaning and purpose. It was later revealed that Osborn had been involved in a brief affair with Gwen Stacy which resulted in the birth of twins, Gabriel and Sarah. The twins had been taken with Osborn to Europe to be raised during his sabbatical. They rapidly aged, and developed superhuman strength and endurance. After the Goblin's takedown, the twins confronted Spider-Man. They believed Parker to be their real father as well as responsible for killing their mother and abandoning them. Spider-Man told the twins the truth - Gabriel rejected Spider-Man, and accepted the Goblin mantle as the Gray Goblin, becoming insane in the process. After battling Spider-Man, a deranged Gabriel disappeared, while Sarah sought training to use her powers for good. Osborn was apparently apprehended by SHIELD. He was rigged with nanites and forced to work for them. While seeing Ben Urich, Norman began resisting his control and confronted Urich... Characteristics Height: 5'11" Weight: 185 lbs (84 kg) Eyes: Blue Hair: Reddish Brown Unusual Features: None Powers Due to the Goblin Formula, Norman Osborn possesses enhanced strength, durability, speed, stamina, intelligence, and regenerative capabilities. He is roughly a physical match for Spider-Man, his skin can handle most small-arms fire, and he has recovered from several serious injuries (impalement by his glider, pumpkin bomb explosions etc.) Known Abilities: Aside from his physical advantages, the serum also greatly enhanced Norman's already highly above average intellect, making him a bona fide genius capable of making progress in advanced areas of genetics, robotics, engineering, and applied chemistry that most professional scientists can scarcely comprehend. However, these aptitudes are inhibited by the fact that Osborn is criminally insane. Strength Level: Superhuman; at his strongest, Norman could lift nearly 10 tons. Miscellaneous Equipment: Body armor, large range of Miscellaneous items. Transportation: Goblin Glider, formerly Flying Broomstick. Weapons: Electric blasters in gloves. Explosive Pumpkin Bombs, hallucigen-filled Wraith bombs, razor-edged throwing blades. Notes * No special notes. Trivia * Recommended Readings *''Untold Tales of Spider-Man #1'' *''Untold Tales of Spider-Man #2'' *''Untold Tales of Spider-Man #4'' *''Untold Tales of Spider-Man #8'' *''Amazing Spider-Man #14'' - First Appearance; Teamed with The Enforcers to battle Spider-Man. *''Untold Tales of Spider-Man #18'' *''Amazing Spider-Man #17'' - Battled Spider-Man and the Human Torch II at a meeting of the Forest Hills Spider-Man Fan Club. *''Untold Tales of Spider-Man #20'' *''Amazing Spider-Man #18'' - Cameo Appearance *''Untold Tales of Spider-Man #22'' *''Amazing Spider-Man #23'' *''Untold Tales of Spider-Man Annual 1997'' *''Untold Tales of Spider-Man #25'' *''Amazing Spider-Man #25'' *''Amazing Spider-Man #26'' *''Amazing Spider-Man #27'' *''Amazing Spider-Man #37'' - First Appearance as Norman Osborn. *''Amazing Spider-Man #40'' - Origin *''Amazing Spider-Man #121'' - Kills Gwen Stacy *''Amazing Spider-Man #122'' - Apparent death. Related Articles * Green Goblin (Harry Osborn) * Spider-Man (Peter Parker) External Links * References * OHMU #17, August, 1987. MARVEL COMICS GROUP ---- Category:Characters Category:Male Characters Category:Bad Characters Category:Living Characters Category:American Category:Secret Identity Category:Widowed Characters Category:Blue Eyes Category:Auburn Hair Category:Silver Age